Constructive gadfly
Published on June 21, 2004 By stevendedalus In Business

The business world fears a government solution to the health cost crisis that has risen 38% since 2001 in retaliation for the relatively effective hold on costs during the 90s. If their fear is justified then the captains of industry and the sergeants of small business should unite and fight the obvious profiteering of the medical industry and medical insurance companies. If a giant company like Ford can rollover on the directive of insurance companies, then something is rotten in the economy. It cost Ford in 2003 $3.2 billion to insure 560,000 employees, according to the Washington Post, adding $1000 to the cost of every Ford vehicle produced in the United States. Ever increasing small businesses are dumping medical insurance for their employees, only aggravating the long standing problem of the uninsured. If sprawling corporations do not have the backbone to resist this piracy perpetrated by members of their own capitalistic realm, then who but the government can carry the flag?


To avoid this inevitability these soldiers of industry must pick up the flag and charge the pirates with the cry “Don’t tread on us — enough is enough!” If they would shed their competitive spirit long enough to forge a solid front, together with small business that suffer the most, and demand an accounting from units of medicine and insurance companies, both of which are suspect of price gouging because of close to the vest operations that are as secretive as the CIA.

Why, for instance, should a single catastrophic illness in Utah, cause panic among the insurance companies throughout the nation? Is it not logical that the effects of catastrophic illness can easily be absorbed by a huge, nationwide pool? Would it not be sensible for all neighboring small businesses be under the umbrella of neighboring corporations and thus buy into their plans? Why should a small business made to be vulnerable in their negotiations with an insurance company and be singled out as a potential for widespread plague? And where is the level playing field when one small company is allowed to opt out of a plan while another down the street morally clings to its plan despite very questionable inflationary costs?

Just because single payer advocates of universal health claim to own the answer, should not preclude the business world from advocating something similar by uniting their own influence and purchasing power. Rolling over dead is a badge of shame that proud employers should avoid or else leave themselves vulnerable to a government take over in supplying equitable health care for the nation’s workers.

 Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: June 21, 2004.


Comments
on Jun 21, 2004
The complexity of the national health care system cannot be understated. However, if you look at trends around the world there is much evidence that shows how terrible the single payer system is. Canada and the UK have backed away from the pure government owned health care system because it was and still is wrecking their economies. People of those countries, if they can afford it, are flocking to the private insurance health care coverage. This dispite the fact they still contribute to through taxes to the government run system. Thats how bad it is. Our government has screwed up our private system by demanding a set level or basic level of coverage - which demands a certain price. Our government does not allow full deductions of medical expences. And our government overtaxes its citizens which leaves less left over for health care coverage. On top of that some, many people do not want health care coverage to begin with. I have touched on a few points. I'm sure greed and gouging are in there too, along with blood sucking lawyers taking their 'fair share'. There is no easy sweeping answer, but if the government got less involved not more that would be a good start.
on Jun 22, 2004
In other words, leave it to private enterprise to cure all, eh? We have the best yet most cosltly system, not entirely owing to entrepreneurism, but the government has poured billions into research and cheap education loans for doctors, not to mention free vaccines in times of crisis. I don't propose an either or solution, but you missed the point that corporations are at risk in permitting unscrupulous insurance profiteering [lawsuits are minsicule]